The invention relates generally to wall board construction used in erecting of plasterboard wall structures and the like from metal stud structures and particularly to the joining of angled segments of metal stud wall frame structures and is in the nature of an improvement to this type of construction.
A corner stay is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 825,523 issued to Henry H. Dewey on Jul. 10, 1908 for use in connecting two adjacent walls of boxes or trunks positioned at 90.degree.. There is no teachings in the Dewey patent for use at other angles other than 90.degree.. There is no teaching for the interconnecting of studs but rather only panel sections. The Dewey corner stay is undesirable for use in modern construction methods because studded wall structures are enclosed by wall board or the like and outer surfaces of the corner stays of Dewey are not smooth for receiving an over lay structure. Further, Dewey teaches securing the corner stay to the panels.
A method for interconnection panels at various angles including obtuse angles is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,940 issued to Truman D. Hainline on Nov. 3, 1981 for joining pairs of adjacent wall panels filled with sound absorbing material. "U" shaped end caps are attached to the adjacent wall panels and are connected together along at least one edge. The end attachment of the adjacent wall panels and end caps attachment thereto require considerable assembly at the job sight and when completed have a considerable difference in surface elevation between the outer edge of the end caps and the adjacent walls. This space is not suitable for the purpose intended for use of the pre-assembled bracket of the invention, namely, to provide a smooth plaster wall surface after adjacent wall joiner.
Various other means and methods of interconnecting wall panels and the like at 90.degree. or 180 are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,363,164; 3,206,806; 3,349,533; 3,962,840; 3,995,402; 4,147,001, and 4,254,600. None of these references are directed to the joining of adjacent metal studs or the positioning of adjacent studs at angles between 90.degree. and 180.degree..
There has not been provided a novel construction bracket designed to hold two adjacent metal studs at a selected angle therebetween of other than 90.degree. and 180.degree. until the emergence of the present invention.